Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-05-20
CHAPTER MI.
BEFOEE THE BATTLE.

bffbltFs INV bA L LIE,
Luckily for MS, lnfatoOs and the chief
knew all the pathways Of the great town
perfectly. 81 that notwithstanding the in
tense gloom we made fair progress.
For an hour or more we 1ourneycd on till
at length the eclipse began to pass and that
edge Of the sun which had disappeared the
first became again visible. In another five
minutes there was sufficient light to see our
whereabouts, and we then discovered that
we were GEAR of the town of Loo, and APP
preaching large ilat-topped hill, measur-
ing some two mites In circumference This
hill, which was n formation very common in
Southern Africa, was not very high; indeed,
its greatest elevation was not more than
two hundred feet, but it was shaped like
horseshoe, and its sides were rather precIpi-
tons, and Strcwn with powders. On the
grass tabe-land at the top was ample camp
ing ground which had been utilized as a
military cantOnmrnt of no mean strength.
Its ordinary garrison was one regiment of
three thousand men, but as we toilcd up the
steep side OF the hill In the returning day
light we perceived that there were many
more warriors than that upon il.
Reaching the table land at last we found
crowds of men huddlcd together in the ut
most consideration at the natural phenome-
non which they We're witnessing. Passing
through these without word, we gained
hut In the center OF The ground, where we
were astonishcd to thd two men waiting,
laden with our few good sand chattcls, which
OF course we had been obliged To leave be-
hind In our haSty flight
II sent tor them" explained Infadoos;
"nlso for these" aud he lifted up Goods
long lost trousers.
with an exclamation of rapturous delight
Good sprung at them aud instantly pro-
cccded to put them on.
Surely NV lord will not hide his beautiful
white lcgsW exclaimed lnfadoos regret
ful,.
But Good persisted and once only did the
kukuana people get the chance OF seeing
hts beautiful legs again. Good Is very
modest llenceforward they had to satisfy
their mSthetic lungings with his one whiskcr
his transparent eye. and his movable teeth.
Stlll gazing with fond rrmembrance ut
Goods trousers Inladaos next informed us
that no had summoned the regiments 10 eX
plain Ia them fully the rebellion which was
decided on by the chiefs and 10 introduce 10
them the rlglHtu heir tn the thrsnN IgnoSi.
In half an hour the troops, In all nearly
twenty thousand men, constituting the flow
er NJ the kukuana army, were mustered on
large open space 10 which we proceeded.
The men wen drawn up In three sides of n
dense square aud presented magnificent
spectacle We took our station on the oeen
side of the square, and were speedily Snr-
rounded by ailthc principal chiefs ami OIL
Gers.
These, after silence had been proclaimed,
lnfadoos proceeded To address. lie narrated
to them IN vigorous aud graceful language
for like most kukuannS of high rank he was
4 born orator-the history OF IgnoSts father
how lie had been h,sely murdered by rwala
the king, and hts wife and child driven out
10 starve. Then he pointed ont how the
land suffered and gnOaned under Tvala's
cruel rule, inStanotng the proceedings OF the
previous night, when, under the pretenSe "
their being evil-doerS, many of the nobleSt
In the land had been hauled forth and cruelty
done to death.
Next he went ON to say that the wlSte
Lords from the stars, looking down on the
iand, had perceived its troublc and deter
mined. at great personal Inconvenience, to
alleviate its lot; how they had accordingly
taken the real king of the country, Ignosi
who was langushing In exile, by the hand,
and led him over the mountains; how they
-
and for sign to the wavcring, and to save
tho life of the girl. Fculsta, had actually, by
the exercise of their high magic, put out the
sun, and stain the young fend, Scragya; and
now they werc prepared 10 stand by them,
and assist them to overthrow rwaia and set
M the riShtful king, tgnosi, in his place.
lie finished his discourse amidst a murmur
Of appreciation. and then Iguosi stepped for
want and began to speak Having rciterat-
Ell all that fnfadooS, his uncle, had said, he
concluded powerful speech in these worJis:
"Oh, chiefs, captains, soldiers and people,
ye have heard my words. Now must We
make choice between me and HIM who sits
upon my throne the uncle who killed his
brother, and hunted his brothers child forth
to die in the cold aud the night That am
indeed ,le king, theSe"-pointlng 10 the
chiefs can tell We, for they have seen the
snake about my middle. II were not the
king, would these white men be on my side
with all their magIcs Trembe, chiefs, cap
tains, soldiers, and people! Is not the dark
ness they have brought upon the land TO
eontound Twala, and cover our flight yet
before your eyesy'
at IS" answered the soldiers.
Il am the king; l say to We. sm the
king" went on lgnosi, drawing up his great
stature 10 its full, and lifting his broad
bladed battle-ax above his head. III there
be any man among We who SAYS that il is not
so, let him stand forth and will tight him
now, and his blood shall be red token that
tell We true. Let him stand forth, | say"
and he shook the great AK till it flashed in
the sunlight
AS nobody seemed inclined to respond To
this heroic version of billy, Oily, come
and be killed" our late henchman proceed
ed with his address.
Il am indeed the king, and If We do stand
by my side in the battle, II win the day, We
shall 90 with me to victory and honor. l